Non-volatile memory is becoming standard in many data storage systems such as digital cameras and digital audio players. Modular, portable memory devices, such as flash memory devices, are available that can be readily connected to and disconnected from these systems. CD-based media is also used. Regardless of the type of memory device employed, data storage systems use a file system to control where data is located on the device and to interface with the device. Many data storage systems use the DOS FAT file system. Because the DOS FAT file system requires that the memory device be re-writeable, the DOS FAT file system is not preferred for write-once memory devices. While there are file systems designed for write-once memory devices, such as the ISO9660 file system used by CD-ROMs and the Universal Disk Format (UDF) used by Adaptec for multi-session CD-RWs, these file systems may not be suitable for certain applications.
The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims.
By way of introduction, the preferred embodiments described below provide memory devices and methods for use therewith. In one preferred embodiment, a method is presented for using a file system to dynamically respond to variability in an indicated minimum number of memory cells of first and second write-once memory devices. In another preferred embodiment, a method for overwriting data in a memory device is described in which an error code is disregarded after a destructive pattern is written. In yet another preferred embodiment, a method is presented in which, after a block of memory has been allocated for a file to be stored in a memory device, available lines in that block are determined. Another preferred embodiment relates to reserving at least one memory cell in a memory device for file structures or file system structures. A memory device is also provided in which file system structures of at least two file systems are stored in the same memory partition. Additionally, methods for permanently preventing modification of data stored in a memory device and for identifying memory cells storing data are disclosed.
It should be noted that the following preferred embodiments can be practiced with any suitable memory device and that the following claims should not be read as requiring a write-once memory device or a three-dimensional write-once memory device unless specifically recited. It should also be noted that any or all of the following embodiments can be used alone or in combination.
The preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the attached drawings.